Pyramid Schemes (2018)
Architecture is prosthetic memory—a way for society to write without words.
Pyramid Schemes is a treatise on architecture in eleven chapters. Lawrence Lek offers a sweeping journey through the evolution of architecture—spaces that reflect and inscribe power structures—by interfusing scenes from the video game Assassin’s Creed with other simulated environments. The first-person perspective of a role-playing game assert the agency of the video’s wandering protagonist, and reflect how virtual spaces reflect real-world issues of migration, access, and the privilege of being able to go different places. In the words of the artist, “the simplest form of freedom is the freedom of mobility.” As print has evaporated into hypertext and cathedrals have grown into skyscrapers, the narrator implores: “To progress we must create a space that can shelter the collective, not just reflect it. Architecture must not simply express novelty, it must absorb difference. Difference in culture, difference in technology, difference in language, difference in dreams.”
Screenplay
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Pyramid Schemes about?
- Pyramid Schemes is a treatise on architecture in eleven chapters. Lawrence Lek offers a sweeping journey through the evolution of architecture—spaces that reflect and inscribe power structures—by interfusing scenes from the video game Assassin’s Creed with other simulated environments. The first-person perspective of a role-playing game assert the agency of the video’s wandering protagonist, and reflect how virtual spaces reflect real-world issues of migration, access, and the privilege of being able to go different places. In the words of the artist, “the simplest form of freedom is the freedom of mobility.” As print has evaporated into hypertext and cathedrals have grown into skyscrapers, the narrator implores: “To progress we must create a space that can shelter the collective, not just reflect it. Architecture must not simply express novelty, it must absorb difference. Difference in culture, difference in technology, difference in language, difference in dreams.”
- Who directed Pyramid Schemes?
- Pyramid Schemes was directed by Lawrence Lek.
- How long is Pyramid Schemes?
- Pyramid Schemes has a runtime of 18m (18 minutes).
- What genre is Pyramid Schemes?
- Pyramid Schemes is a Documentary film.
- Where was Pyramid Schemes produced?
- Pyramid Schemes was produced in United States of America.